When to complain...?

[mrsilv04]

Unfortunately, my mother is in the hospital right now, and has been there since Saturday.

All of the nurses have been very good to superior... except one. Quite honestly, this one has no business providing care to patients. This nurse, who was assigned to my mother, was not providing her medication on time, as per the doctor's orders.

I tried to very tactfully suggest that the intervals for the medication were being missed by a fairly wide margin, and I was politely told to mind my own business. As to not make the situation any worse, I shut my mouth and let it go... knowing that there'd be a shift change soon enough, just tolerate it.

Well, the doctor came in this morning, and he was very displeased with what he saw in my mother. An opportunity was being handed to me on a silver platter!

I mentioned to him that she had not gotten her medications on time, for the entire previous 8 hour shift. I also mentioned that I had brought up the topic with the nurse, and had been politely told to keep my concerns to myself.

He turned to me and didn't say a word, but had an "oh, really" look on his face, with one raised eyebrow.

Have I done enough (should I let the doctor handle it with what he now knows), or should I pursue a formal complaint (after she is released)? I think her stay has likely been extended for a day because of this issue.

When she was trying to heal, and needed the medication in the worst way... she had Nurse Ratched assigned to her.

Since then, the timing of the medication has improved, and there is a brief explanation for every pill that she is given.

Of course, that could also be that we're just back to having nurses who are professional at what they do again.

I will say one thing, this nurse will not be assigned to my mother again. If it happens, I will ask for a supervisor and ask for a different nurse for that shift. And that may be when the (you know what) hits the fan. I may be required to explain why I'm requesting a different nurse at that point.

 

[spasm3]

You need to foward your issues outside of that nursing department. Ask who the V.P. of the department is and ask to speak to someone in risk managment. You should have a few examples of the nurses unprofessionalism,and times and dates that medications were not on time. Be sure to compliment what was done right, this eliminates you from being just another complainer. Ask for risk management to review her chart. This should trigger an investigation.

Good luck.

 

[JavierG]

Sorry to hear your mom is in the hospital. Hopefully she will be released soon and gets better even sooner.

I have a friend who is the type of nurse that you described except that she does follow whatever is on a patient's chart to the letter. She just doesn't have the proper bedside personality. I told her that she should mellow out or she would be risking her job. Anyway, her attitude got her fired from the hospital where she worked. It appears that the doctors and other nurses kept a log of all the complaints about her and finally had to let her go (previously they tried different shifts, days, etc. but to no avail).

 

[Brons2]

Originally Posted By: mrsilv04

I tried to very tactfully suggest that the intervals for the medication were being missed by a fairly wide margin, and I was politely told to mind my own business.


That *IS* your business! You have to be an advocate for your family members when they're in the hospital. Or, if you are in the hospital, an advocate for your own care, if you are in a condition to do so.

I would raise all kinds of stink with the staff if the medications are not being brought in a timely manner. Escalate to management if necessary. And keep escalating until you receive proper care for your loved ones.

That doesn't mean to yell and scream, but do demand that medications be given at the ordered intervals. It's not asking for too much to demand that the doctor's orders be followed.

 

[Brons2]

Originally Posted By: JavierG
Sorry to hear your mom is in the hospital. Hopefully she will be released soon and gets better even sooner.

I have a friend who is the type of nurse that you described except that she does follow whatever is on a patient's chart to the letter. She just doesn't have the proper bedside personality. I told her that she should mellow out or she would be risking her job. Anyway, her attitude got her fired from the hospital where she worked. It appears that the doctors and other nurses kept a log of all the complaints about her and finally had to let her go (previously they tried different shifts, days, etc. but to no avail).


I would rather have a provider with no personality who was competent at providing care than a friendly provider who was not competent.

When I was in the hospital, I had to demand that they not send back a nurse's aide because she had missed twice trying to draw blood. And I am easy to draw blood from. But yeah 2 is my limit. Anyone can miss once, but twice is a trend.

 

[JamesBond]

YOU have to be the one to look out for yourself and your family when it comes to healthcare. Medical professionals will not care for your family in the same way that you do.

The person in the bed is an account number, and to the staff you are just the nosy pain in the rear that is making their day worse. The staff gets paid with insurance company money, THEY are the customers, and they call the shots. They also know that you probably don't have the ability to change doctors, hospitals, courses of treatment because you have to get care where and how your insurance company says. Your insurance policy is negotiated based on the bottom line cost to your employer or whoever provides it. The entire system is built around the bottom line.

 

[Rock_Hudstone]

Originally Posted By: JamesBond
YOU have to be the one to look out for yourself and your family when it comes to healthcare. Medical professionals will not care for your family in the same way that you do.

Right, your mission is to get your mother out of the hospital alive and on the mend.

Watch everyone like a hawk, question everything, politely of course, but confidently. Don't be intimidated by doctors or nurses, they are not gods and can make mistakes same as anyone.

My mother was in the hospital a few years ago for a operation, nothing serious or life threatening. After she got out of the O.R. and back in the room they had her on a morphine I.V. The nurse told her to press the button on the I.V. if she had pain, yet failed to mention the I.V. was also on slow drip into her system.
As we sat talking my mother almost fell unconscious from all the morphine and asked me to call the nurse who immediately shut off the I.V. and within a short while she was fine again.

However, who knows what would have happened had I not been there.
And this was in an excellent hospital with a great staff that we've used for many years.

 

[ajchien]

You need to be a patient advocate for your mother.

Consider finding the hospitals patient relations office, or equivalent and voice your concerns there.

 

[methusaleh]

Also...document, document, document! Keep a notebook of what happens and names of witnesses.

There is a nearly-identical situation going on in my family right now, however things are far worse, and at this point attorneys are involved.

 

[Shannow]

My sister would have been dead at least 5 times were it not for my father watching like a hawk, questioning, demanding, and asking to speak to superiors (and a P.R. department is not a superior).

They will try to belittle you, ask you to step outside for privacy, and ultimately ask you to leave to ensure that you don't have a case...and we've GOT tort reform, where they are invulnerable anyway.

 

[eljefino]

For hospital politics there's usually a Nurse Manager who's probably the best sounding board for your concerns. Just go to the station and ask for her. Complaining to the doctor may just rehash the same old top-down "stuff-storm" that makes the department cover each other's backs. (Depending on politics of course.)

Depending on the operation, the meds dispenser and whatnot are all computerized so there's a paper trail of when your nurse at least got (if not administered) the belated meds.

And yeah being a patient advocate means making sure everyone washes their hands. When my son was newborn one nurse held band-aids in her mouth because her hands were busy.

 

[Mr Nice]

Contact these people immediately :

Charge nurse and Director of that floor
The CNO (chief nursing officer)
Risk Management

Contact all the above in that order and demand better care for your mom.

 

[kb01]

Originally Posted By: Brons2

I would rather have a provider with no personality who was competent at providing care than a friendly provider who was not competent.


After 3 week stint of my wife being in the hospital (complication-after-complication), that's exactly my position. I'd rather have a completely by the books Drill Sergeant nurse, who follows policy to T, than anything else.

We had essentially the same problem. My wife's medications were either being skipped or delayed by wide margins. When I told our doctor and he reviewed the charts, I thought his head was going to explode. He wound up putting her on IVs because the nurses couldn't be relied upon.

I lost most of my faith in our medical system after that experience. It feels like providers view patients as revenue sources to be exploited, possible drug addicts, and potential lawsuits.

A lot of really bad stuff happened while she was hospitalized and that happened with a husband at her beside 24/7 and a doctor we could trust. It's scary to think what happens to those who don't have advocates.

 

[bigmike]

My grandmother never spent any time alone in a hospital through almost 3 years of fighting cancer. I spent most of those days and nights with her.
I wouldn't tolerate any kind of unprofessional behavior in any hospital (let alone anywhere else). As mentioned before, you are her advocate in this time of need.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted By: Brons2
Originally Posted By: JavierG
Sorry to hear your mom is in the hospital. Hopefully she will be released soon and gets better even sooner.

I have a friend who is the type of nurse that you described except that she does follow whatever is on a patient's chart to the letter. She just doesn't have the proper bedside personality. I told her that she should mellow out or she would be risking her job. Anyway, her attitude got her fired from the hospital where she worked. It appears that the doctors and other nurses kept a log of all the complaints about her and finally had to let her go (previously they tried different shifts, days, etc. but to no avail).


I would rather have a provider with no personality who was competent at providing care than a friendly provider who was not competent.


No kidding. My wife's best friend is a nurse, and she works with some real idiots. She also works with one nurse whose bedside manner is...well...err..."lousy" is charitable. Anyone who watched ST: Voyager, think of the Doctor's bedside manner in the first 2 seasons...if anything, hers is worse. But, other than that, she's superb at her job.

Last year, one of her patients was a crotchety old man (maybe 80) with the temperament of a peeved alley cat, retired Navy CPO, in for a hip replacement. Tina expected an explosion the first time he saw this nurse.

They got along beautifully. Go figure.

 

[Mr Nice]

I wouldn't want some hospital employees mopping the floor at a Walmart...
let alone taking care of sick patients.

20+ years in healthcare and I have seen it all.